Locking device for scales



Feb. 7, 1933. J L KIBBE 1,896,409

LOCKING DEVICE FOR SCALES Filed April 20, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l Yu .3 4mm x. n. mm v Feb. 7, 1933. J. I. M. KlBBE 1,896,409

LOCKING DEVICE FOR SCALES Filed April 20, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 \nuexjioj games m. Kigbe Patented Feb. 7, 1933 UNITED STATES JAMES-I. M. KIBBE, 0F MUSKEGON, MICHIGAN LOCKING nnvion non scams Application filed April 20, 1931. Serial No. 531,298..

i This'invention relates generally to a leekingmechanismwhereby a reciprocating element is keptfrom more than one reversal of movement when it is released by trip means and more specifically this invention relates to a lockingattachment adapted to be. ap-

plied to scales of a certain type whereby the Weighing mechanism is locked in order to prevent unauthorized repetition of the weighingwhile the scale is depressed, v

As iswell known to those skilled in this art it is very desirable and almost essential that locking means he applied to scales whereby: the operation thereof will be such as to prevent more than one person utilizing the scale upon the insertion of a single coin.

It is the aim of my invention to inventively create a locking. device of this character which is exceedingly eflicient for the purposes intended and which consists of'a very few parts whereby it may be cheaply and expediently manufactured. I

Briefly described, my invention consists of a locking latchwhich is held with its pointed end in engagement with the reciprocating rack, this rack being movable due to the weight of the person standing upon theplat form of the scale, while the rear or back end of-the locking latch or element is prevented from moving upwardly due to the contact of a cam or an arm, this arm being pivoted upon the usual detent lever. Upon the insertionof a penny into the scale the trip lever moves downwardly and this causes the arm, previously referred to, to release the rear end of the locking latch or element whereby the-reciprocating element is free to travel. However,'as soon, as the coin travels off of the trip lever the same returns to its upper position and the arm with its cam returns to its vertical position thereby locking the latch in its horizontal position and preventing the vertically movable rack from traveling doWn- 'wardly; Hence, tlle weight of the person upon'the scale cannot 'be increased so that the same will register upon the dial of the 7 scale because the'loc king latch holds the rack from moving downwardly. v The rack, through a small pinion, actuates the pointer which travels around the dial in a manner so well understood by those skilled in this art.

The object and nature of this invention will be easily understood in the lightof the following explanation of the accompanying drawings showing what I now, believe to be the preferred mechanical expression or embodiment ofmy inventionjfrom among other forms, constructions, arrangements or combinations within the spirit and scope thereof.

In the drawings 1- e I -Fig. 1 is a side view or elevation of the upper part of a scale mechanism equipped with my improved device, certain of the parts being shown in cross section in order to expe dite the showing. 6

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but show ing the severalpartsin the positions which they assume immediately after the coin has trippedthe trip lever.

3 is a view similar to Fig. l but dis- .7 closing the trip lever after it. has returned to its'normal position.

Fig. tis a view very similar to' Fig. 3 but showing the several parts just after. they have V started toward their zero or normal position.

Fig- 5 is a view in cross section taken along the'plane of the line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views. 7 Referringto the drawings, numeral" 10 indicates the head or sup-port upon which the coin chute 11 is rigidly mounted, this coin chute having a stop 12 attached to its lower end as clearly. shown in the drawings. 7 A lever 13, having, .a portion 14 im- .mediately under thelower end of the coin chute, is pivotally mounted at 15 upon the supporting plate 10. The coin 16, see Fig. 2,l..engagesthe portion 1 1 of the lever 13 9.0

The front end of the detent lever 17 has a detent 22 adjustably held therein by means of the screw 23. i

The detent 22 is immediately abovea drum" 24, having a slot 53 therein adapted to receive the detent, see Fig. 1, this drum24 being integrally formed with a pinion 25, see Fig. 5, and both of these members being revolubly mounted in the support'lO. A rack bar 26 is held in mesh with the pinion 25 by means of the guide member 27, the teeth 28 on the rack bar being similarly formed to the teeth on the pinion 25. The lower end ofthe rack bar 26 hasa pillar rod 30 depending therefrom, this pillar rod being connected to the platform of the scale and being moved downwardly'in the directionas indicated by the arrow A, see Fig. 1, when a weight is placed upon the platform. V

A locking or latching element 31 is pivotally mounted as at 32 a short distance above the detent lever 17 and the front end of this locking element 31 is pointed. as at 33, this pointed end being adapted to engage the teeth 28 on the reciprocating bar or rack 26. A coiled spring 34 encircles the pivot 32 and maintains the looking or latching element 31 in a horizontal position. I

An arm 40 is pivotally connected as at 41 to the detent lever 17 and the lower end of this arm 40 is connected by a tie rod 42 to the trip lever 13. The upper end of the lever has a cam element, 43, this cam element being engaged by the rear end of the latching element 31 upon its downward move ment to cam the arm 40 backward at its top whereby the latching lever 31 rides thereunder and hence the latching element 31 is prevented from upward movement. This is the position of the element or part as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

'A spring 50 is connected between the detent lever 17 and the trip lever 13 and tends to trip these levers so that the detent 22 rides against the drum 24 thus keeping it in a position whereby it will enter the slot 53 whenever therack bar returns upwardly to its zero position. The trip lever 13 is held as ,shown in Fig. 1, that is, withits portion 14 immediately below and engaging against the underside of the coin chute.

The operation of the device will be readily understood. When the coin is inserted into the coin chute, see Figs. land 2, it engages against the trip lever 13 and pushes the same downwardly, this downward movement causes the link 19 to be pulled downwardly and hence the detent 22 is raised from its slot in. the rotating drum, this drum carrying the pointer which indicates the weight of the person being weighed, and the downward movement of the trip lever 13 also straightens the members 40 and 42 thus pulling the cam or trip 43 to the rear and releasing the latching element 31. This latching element clicks over the teeth 28 of the rack bar and allows it to move freely downward. The tendency of the latching element 31 is to remain in a horizontal position due to the coiled spring 34.

7 As soon as the coin falls 011' of the end of the trip lever 13 the .sameis free to. return upwardly to the position shown in Fig. 3. This upward movement of the trip lever 13 is permitted by reason of the slot 20 in the link 19, this slot 20 permitting movement of the trip lever 13 without corresponding movement of the detent lever 17. The detent lever 17 cannot be moved downwardly at this time as the detent 22 is riding upon the outer surface'of the drum. The upward movement of the trip lever 13 allows thetie rod 42 and thearm 40 to return to theirnormal positions and this places the vertical arm 40 so that its cam'43 is in such a position as to be engaged by the rear end of the latching element 31 when it is urged downwardly by means of the coiled spring 34.

The downward movement of the latching element 31 pushes the arm 40 back and the latching element engages underneath the cam 43. Thus the latching element is held against movement of its rear end upwardly but is free however for movement of its rear end downwardly. This latter movement is necessary in order that the rack bar 26 may slide upwardly over the point 33 of the latching element. As each tooth 28 rides over the point 33 the rack bar is prevented from again being forced downwardly and hence after the weight of the person has been removed from the scale the rack bar cannot again be pushed downwardly to weigh another person without the insertion of another coin. Obviously, the size of the rack teeth 28 may be of the chosen degree for the purposes desired.

The invention is defined in the appended claims and is to be considered comprehensive of all forms of structure coming within their scope.

I claim: v 1. In a weighing machine, the combination of a coin chute, a trip lever actuated by a coin passing through said chute, a detent lever, a detent thereon, a reciprocating rack bar, a pinion in mesh therewith, a drum oooperatively associated with the pinion, said drum having a slot therein to receive the detent, means connecting the levers whereby the actuation of the first lever operates the detent lever to raise the detent from its slot, a latching lever having engagement with the teeth on the rack bar and means mounted upon the detent lever and engageable with the latching lever to lock the same against movement in one direction whereby the rack bar is held from movement in one direction.

2. A device as set forth in claim 1 in which the means connecting the trip lever and the detent lever has a lost motion connection therein whereby the means mounted upon the detent lever may engage the latching lever before the detent lever has returned to its normal position.

3. In an automatic mechanism of the character described, a reciprocating rack bar mounted for movement in proportion to the amount of pull thereon, said rack bar having teeth thereon, a pinion engaging the teeth on the rack bar, a drum fastened to the pinion, said drum having a slot thereon, a coin chute, a trip lever pivotally mounted with its free end underneath the coin chute whereby a coin passing through said chute will cause depression of the said lever, a detent lever pivoted between its ends, a detent on one end of the detent lever, said detent being adapted to enter the slot in the drum when the parts are in inoperative position, a connecting link between the trip lever and the detent lever, spring means adapted to hold the trip lever underneath the coin chute, spring means adapted to hold the detent lever with its detent in said slot, a latching lever pivotally mounted between its ends, one end of the lever being pointed and adapted to engage the spaces between the teeth on the rack bar, spring means for normally holding the lever in engagement with the teeth on the rack bar, an arm pivotally connected onto the detent lever, said arm having a portion normally positioned above the rear end of the latching lever to prevent upward movement thereof, a tie rod extending from the arm to the trip lever whereby actuation of the trip lever causes movement of the arm to disengage it from the latching lever whereby free movement of the rack bar may be had.

4. A device as set forth in claim 3, in which the said connecting link includes a lost motion connection whereby return movement of the said trip lever is not hindered.

5. In a weighing mechanism having a reciprocable rack, a pinion in mesh with the rack, and locking means for the pinion, the combination of a latching element engageable with the rack, means interconnecting the latching element and the locking means and trip means for releasing the locking means.

JAMES I. M. KI BE. 

